Thomas Cook will fly long haul with Belgium Exel

Flybe · Post by **Flybe** » 10 Feb 2004, 17:04

Fresh from the press apparently. On http://www.thomascook.info/tck/be/nl/nw ... 32,00.html you can read (in Dutch) that Thomas Cook will work from the end of february with the new Belgian airline "BelgiumExel", daughter of the Exel Aviation Group that also has airlines like KLM Exel, HollandExel, and so on.

They will base a 767-300 in Brussels and will recrute about 50 people here! The aircraft is leased from SAS and has 260 seats, of which 12 business.

For the interesting report, you can read it on that site, i won't post it here, since it is in Dutch and quite big.

That's a good thing for Brussels, a new long haul aircraft to replace at least a little bit those of Sobelair, and also 50 people that will find a job

Greets,

Pieter

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 10 Feb 2004, 17:10

Why can't TCBA fly the flights themself? And it sure is a pity that they didn't choose for the A330-200!

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 10 Feb 2004, 17:19

maybe because TCB doesnt have long haul aircraft?

Flybe · Post by **Flybe** » 10 Feb 2004, 17:19

Why can't TCBA fly the flights themself?

For now they do not have any long haul aircrafts, and i can imagine that it is quite costly to lease them. Also if they work with another company, they do not have to worry if they have weaker periods, were the aircraft wouldn't be used that much. Then it is the worries of Belgium Exel, i guess.

Hehe, at the same time Thomas Cookie started a similar topic. So you can indeed find more information at that site!

Greets,

Pieter

Post by **sn26567** » 10 Feb 2004, 17:22

It looks more like a Dutch Airline than a Belgian one, notwithstanding the name. But at least they are hiring Belgian crew, hopefully from Sobelair.

To sab319: Thomas Cook alone is unable to fill a B767 for long-haul destinations: they can barely fill a B757 now. ExelBelgium will probably carry passengers from other tour operators as well.

AirDupont · Post by **AirDupont** » 10 Feb 2004, 19:09

Does anyone have the contactinfo of Exel Aviation Group?

Why only SLR crew??? Do you really think everyone who worked for CTB, SN and the other bankrupt airlines have found a job in a proper airline in Belgium???? Many people I know would love to come and work in Belgium again........ me being one of them

OO-SBZ · Post by **OO-SBZ** » 10 Feb 2004, 19:22

sn26567 wrote:It looks more like a Dutch Airline than a Belgian one, notwithstanding the name. But at least they are hiring Belgian crew, hopefully from Sobelair.

Indeed André... The Belgian branche plans to operate a single Boeing 767 and has therefore to be part of a larger company to make money...

Regards

BeN

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 10 Feb 2004, 19:32

AirDupont wrote:Why only SLR crew???

who said that?

Do you really think everyone who worked for CTB, SN and the other bankrupt airlines have found a job in a proper airline in Belgium????

nobody claimed that?

AirDupont · Post by **AirDupont** » 10 Feb 2004, 19:39

SN 26567 wrote
But at least they are hiring Belgian crew, hopefully from Sobelair.

Greetz

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 10 Feb 2004, 19:53

im sorry, but i dont see the word "only" standing in that sentence

Jense · Post by **Jense** » 10 Feb 2004, 20:34

demol wrote: Please note that the domain http://www.belgiumexel.com will be the URL of the new airline, but it isn't up yet

I searched with much of searching-machines, Google, Altavista, Yahoo, ...
but didn't found anything... I typed www.belgiumexel.com and saw that he was not on-line yet.
The paint-scheme of that B767 was nice, always nice, an other paint-scheme @ BRU...

greettzzz

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 10 Feb 2004, 21:08

I also hope that the new staff will be ex SN, CTB and SLR employees who haven't found a proper job yet

Chris

snowbird · Post by **snowbird** » 10 Feb 2004, 21:39

For more info, pls go to www.airwork.nl and check forum.
Belgium Exel is a daughter company of the EXEL airline concern (Air exel, Bonai Exel, Holland Exel, etc..). Eric de Vlieger is the initiator and the imca group is the parent company.
Holland Exel has token over the contracts of TUI and TC from Air Hiolland, because Air Holland went almost bankrupt a few months ago. Air holland was kept alive by de Vlieger till today. Holland Exel got an AOC and AIr Holland is not needed anymore to operate the flighs for TC and TUI.

The aircrafts mentioned in the above messages are aircraft from SAS and leased by Holland Exel. I am wondering if Belgium Exel is a Belgian airline or a Dutch Airline. Let's look if they got right on time an aoc the aeropolitical permits to operate those flts to the Carribean.

AN124 · Post by **AN124** » 10 Feb 2004, 21:41

First let's hope they will hire at least some ex Sobelair crews.

And if I'm not mistaking also these planes will get the Exel group Livery wich means the nice Blue with Orange livery.

Best Regards,
Yvo

MD-11 · Post by **MD-11** » 11 Feb 2004, 12:32

Jense wrote:
The paint-scheme of that B767 was nice, always nice, an other paint-scheme @ BRU...

Okay, know I have inspiration again to draw a plane.
Perhaps I'll fly Belgium Exel on my honeymoon in August

AirDupont · Post by **AirDupont** » 11 Feb 2004, 14:49

I don't know how reliable my info is but I've heard that TCBA is in talks with EXEL to put their own crew on the Exel Belgium aircrafts. This would mean that TUI will be excluded and will have to find their own planes.

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 11 Feb 2004, 15:07

According to BFM radio, BelgiumExel would start with up to 50 Belgian FA's holding a current, valid qualification for B-767 because they don't have enough time to qualify new crews before they start flying in just 2 weeks! ...
I guess only ex-SLR need apply then...
Their pilots would be Dutch (at least in the first place).

Now that's rushed business!!!

VFlies

AirDupont · Post by **AirDupont** » 11 Feb 2004, 15:15

Is this legal??? They would not be a promoter for "equal chances employer"

L-1011 · Post by **L-1011** » 11 Feb 2004, 15:51

They would be starting for the carnaval holidays

They have a really nice livery

Why lease a 767 from SAS , are they cheaper than those grounded in BRU

How do they build up an airline that quickly from scratch, or is it just an EXEL owned contract with BelgiumExel written on it

remember how long it took for VG/Delsay to fly

ciao,
TriStar